1
as in sore
causing or feeling bodily pain
a very painful toothache her broken arm was too painful for her to go on the trip
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in harsh
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
it's been very painful to accept that my father is gone forever
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of painful
This lightweight trail runner is designed to slide on like a sock, eliminating painful pressure points and decreasing the possibility of blisters.
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Emily Pennington, Outside Online, 15 Nov. 2024
These punishments are especially painful since North Korea’s economy has been severely strained by international sanctions, the COVID-19 pandemic, and economic mismanagement.
—Sungmin Cho, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024
Uncontrolled tooth decay can lead to infections, loss of teeth and painful abscesses.
—Erika Edwards, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
Rebuilding a franchise takes time and often requires painful decisions.
—Nate Hagerty, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for painful 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for painful
Adjective
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Albeit flat, the insoles are lightly padded, which keeps our feet from feeling sore by the end of the day.Alyssa Brascia, People.com, 16 Oct. 2024
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By day, hit the powder, then relieve sore muscles at the spa.Rebecca Deurlein, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The combination of this injury, the failure to find the anticipated wealth and the overall harsh conditions faced by the expedition contributed to Coronado's eventual decision to return to Mexico City in 1542.Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
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Avoid triggers: Identify and avoid known irritants, such as soap and laundry detergents containing fragrances or other harsh chemicals. Try an oatmeal bath: Oatmeal baths can soothe dry, itchy, irritated skin.Lindsay Curtis, Health, 27 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Vail’s spaghetti-Western instincts are ever present in 100 Cowboys, but beyond the uptempo pop-rock sound is an aching, earnest excavation of love gone wrong.CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2024
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This type of pain can be described as anything from sharp and throbbing to dull and aching.Cristina Mutchler, Health, 10 July 2024
Adjective
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The in-person aspects of the contest have remained generally positive, but online, with each new addition, the very nature of commenting on people’s bodies, looks, and attractiveness is basically heavy bait for someone to eventually say something cruel.CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2024
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Yet some began to blanch at this cruel ostentation.Tim Gallagher, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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According to the political scientist Pierre Englebert, the Congolese government and people lose as much as $4 billion in revenue every year due to state agents’ manipulation of mining contracts and payments, torturous budget practices, and outright theft.Stephen R. Weissman, Foreign Affairs, 8 June 2015
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The right boots, however, can make previously torturous bell-to-bell days no big deal.Drew Zieff, Outside Online, 9 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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An excruciating pause followed, pregnant enough to suggest triplets.Taylor Eff, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
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In worst-case scenarios, some owners make the excruciating decision between a poor quality of life for their dog, or euthanizing the animal to end its suffering, vets told USA TODAY.Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 8 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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She would later be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and over the next long, agonizing decade, this loving, kind person became angry and suspicious, often lashing out at family members.Jessie Van Amburg, SELF, 25 Nov. 2024
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That led him to the agonizing conclusion that season-ending surgery was the best route for a young career with plenty of future upside.Anthony Slater, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Anyone who requires evidence need only look at Steve Cooper, who found to his detriment that crossing the bitter East Midlands divide from Nottingham Forest to Leicester City was an insurmountable task.Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
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Cooking with beer concentrates its flavors, amplifying any bitter notes.Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near painful
Cite this Entry
“Painful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/painful. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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